Floor polisher



Oct. 8, 1929;

H. 1'. LANG FLOOR POLISHER med Sept. 9. 1927 2. sneetssnet Inventor. Henry] T. Lang, bg

Hi5 Attorn e13.

. 0a. 8, 1929. I m A noon POMS-HER Filed Sept. 9. 1927 2 SheebS-Sheei 2 In ent)? Henry. T. Lang, M J.

Patented Oct. 8, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY .T. LANG, OF CLEVELAND I-IEIGHTS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, TO ELECTRIC VACUUM CLEANER COMPANY, INC., OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK FLOOR POLISHER Application filed September 9, 1927. Serial No. 218,548.

The present invention relates to floor polishers which are adapted to be quickly applied to and removed from vacuum cleaners, and the object of my invention is to simplify and improve the construction of such devices.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the attached drawing which is illustrative of my invention, Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a vacuum cleaner; Fig. 2 is a s1m1lar view with certain of the parts broken away and'the polisher mounted" in position;

- Fig. 3 is aperspective View of the polisher;

F ig. 4 is a view of a ratchet to prevent backward rotation of the polisher when the device as a whole is moved rearwardly; Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate details of construction; Fig. 7 is a partial view in side elevation of a modified form of the invention; Fig. 8 is a partial view in front elevation; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the frame supporting members, and Fig. 10 is a detail plan view partly in section. Y

The application of a polisher to the type of vacuum cleaner illustrated is one which pre sents a peculiar problem in that the passage between the nozzle walls is relatively narrow and furthermore instead of being straight is so curved or shaped that it is impossible to lo-.

, of the motor by screws. 11 indicates the alu-.

minum nozzle which has a relatively narrow and also curved passage 12 for the dust-laden air. .The fan casing and nozzle in the cleaner chosen for illustration form a unit either being cast as one or otherwise united. For simplicity they may be referred to as the nozzle member.- The passage12 terminates at its upper end in an enlargement or chamber 13 which is in communication with the suction side. of'the fan. 14 indicates the discharge conduit for the fan casing and 15 a cover for the conduit to decrease the load on the motor by rendering the fan inoperative when the cleaner is used for polishing.

17 indi "ates the front floor wheels of which there are two. These wheels are'mounted on crank arms 18, the connecting shaft portion 18 of which is mounted in downwardly proectmg lugs 19 which are formed as an integral part of the. fan casing and project forwardly therefrom, Fig. 1. The position of the nozzle with respect to the floor can be ad usted by means of the adjusting screw 19" a handle 22 which has a bail at the lower end,"

the latter being pivotally secured to the cleaner.

The floor tool, in this case a polisher 25, is 1n the form of a brush having radial bristles which are stiff enough to support the weight of the front end of the cleaner without bending an appreciable amount. The brush is mounted on a spindle and the ends of the spindle are located in bearings 26 which in turn are supported by integral depending portions 27 of a rectangular-frame 28 which is open both at the top and bottom. The frame members are made of sheet metal-and are relatively narrow so as to expose the greater portion of the floor engaging tool.

The top of the frame is provided with cross tom or working end of the nozzle terminates in a plane below the lowest part of the fan casing and that by reason of the construction and arrangement of the polishing brush supporting frame, it bridges the space between the nozzle and the fan casing.

The polisher isprovided with a central pulley'36 and is driven by a quarter turn belt 37 from a pulley 38 permanently mounted on the front end of the armature shaft. In

order to permit the belt to connect the two pulleys an opening 39 is formed in the under or rear wall of the nozzle. During normal operation of the cleaner, this opening is closed by a hinged cover 40 and is retained in place by a small. flat spring 41 which snaps over the edge of the wall forming the opening 39. In order to retain the cover in its open'position when the polisher is in use, a second spring I 42 is provided which snaps over a projection 43 formed on the shaft 18 which carries the crank arms for the floor wheels. The front wall of the cleaner is provided with an opening which is closed by a cover 44. By removing the cover the quarter t'urn belt 37 can be slipped over the pulley or removed.

In Fig. 4 is shown one .of the bearings 26 which is provided with a ratchet which, for

example, may comprise a number of hardened steel balls 45, cam faces 46 and coiled compression springs 47. This arrangement ermits the brush to be freely driven in a forward direction by the belt 37 but prevents the polisher from being rotated in the opposite direction when-the polisher as a whole is moved backward. Such an arran ement also prevents the belt 37 from being t rown' off the pulley 38. V

In order to prevent the polisher from marring furniture and baseboards the ends and corners are protected by strips of rubber, or equivalent material 48, which are secured to the frame by any suitable means, such as rivets.

Assuming that the cleaner has been used as such and .it is desired to apply the polisher, the first step is to open the cover 40 in the under wall andretain it by snapping the spring 42 over the projection 43 on the shaft 18 The next step is to secure the L-shaped brackets in place by slipping the slotted ends under the heads of the screws 35. The bag I is removed from the discharge conduit of the fan casing and the cover 15 applied. The

cover 44 is removed and the belt 37 which is ermanently mounted on the .polisher is fished up through the opening 39 and mountas a whole forward. When the user pulls the device rearwardly, the overrunning ratchet mechanism shown in Fig. 4 prevents the polisher from turning backward and throwing the belt off the pulley 38.

1 In Figs. 7 to 10 is illustrated a modification of my invention. In this case the front floor wheels 17 are mounted on fixed studs 50 and are non-adjustable although this feature has no bearing on the present ,case. These studs are screw-threaded into the lugs 19 which form integral parts of the fan casing as before. v Secured in the lugs are supporting devices 51 which may if desired form eXtensions of the studs, as in the present case, or

where the floor wheels are mounted as in Fig.

1 the supporting devices may take the form of the cross shaft 18. The rear wall of the frame is provided with two spaced members- 33 as before but there are certain differences in construction. Each member has a slot 52 in its rear end to receive the supporting device 51 and about which it can, turn as a pivot as will be described later. It extends forwardly to the polisher frame and has a right angle portion 53 which terminates just short of the rear or under wall of the nozzle. This portion is slotted and mounted above the slot is a flat spring 54, the lower endof which is shaped to engage or rest on the upper surface of the bead 55 on the nozzle, when the polisher is in use and hold the front end thereof. Each member is also provided with a second right angle member 56 and this is securely riveted to the rear member of the frame of the polisher. The under side of the nozzle is provided with a belt opening as before and which is normallyclosed by the cover. The cover differs somewhat in shape to conform to that of the underwall of the nozzle. It is held in its closed position by a flat spring 57 and in its open position by the fiat spring 58, the latter being secured to the lower part of the fan .casing.

In mounting the v polisher in place the slotted ends of the members are slipped over the supporting devices 51 and are pushed in ward until the devices occupy the bottoms of the slotsaftenwhich the frame is slightly rotated about the devices as pivots, until it occupies the position shown 'in Fig. 7. As the flat springs 54 pass -over the head. 55, they snap into placeand thus holdthe front end of the polisher frame in place against the nozzle'.. The. polisher frame is in part held against endwise movement by thelupstanding lugs 59 which are secured to the frame mem-v polisher and locating it in the position shown the polisher can have any desired diameter and may be of a length equal to or greater than the nozzle, since the construction of the frame imposes no limitations in this par-' ticular. The nozzle in the type of'cleaner illustrated as well as in many others, is relatively narrow and because'of the fact that a belt cannot be located therein the polisher is set behind the nozzle with its axis substantial- -ly in line with the motor-driven pulley. Such a construction provides afirm seating for the polisher frame both in thefront and rear which is so necessary for this class of work. As an additional securing means the adjusting screw 19? may, in the first described form.

of the in'ventiembe adjusted to forcethe floor wheels 17 into contact with the rear member of the frame. As these wheels are Widely spaced they exert a restraining influence against twisting of the frame. The belt 37 which is of rubber and being under appreciable tension also assists in holding the frame in place.

It is important, if the best results are to be obtained, to have the entire weight of the front end of the'cleaner supported directly by the polisher since by so doing the full effect thereof as a polishing agent is obtained, and

all questions of nice adjustment as the polisher wears are avoided as would be the case if floor engaging wheels for the polisher were employed. The lugs 19 as above stated are formed as an integral part of the casing, and to partly conceal them and also to addfinish to the cleaner, they are covered by the flat members 49 which also extend to and are cast in one with the nozzle. -This makes'a very strong construction and eliminates all danger of breaking of the casting.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a vacuum cleaner having a nozzle, a fan casing and motor, the combination of a rectangular frame, the front of which is connected to the nozzle, means secured to the rear wall of the frame intermediate its ends for connecting it to said casing, a rotary floor:

engaging tool carried by the frame, and means driven by the motor for rotating the tool.

2. In a vacuum cleaner having a nozzle, a fan casingand motor, the combination of a rectangular frame the front of which is connected to the nozzle, spaced members secured to the Rear member of the frame, supporting .means carried by the casing which engage and hold the members thereby securing the frame in place, a rotary floor-engaging tool carried by the frame and supportin it and the front end of the cleaner, and aIielt for traiismitting' motion from the motor to the too 3. In a vacuum cleaner having a nozzle, :1 fan casing and a motor, the combination of a rectangular frame which is situated below the nozzle and in the rear of the front wall thereof, spaced rearwardly extending members carried by the frame, means for securing the members to the casing, meansengagingthe undersifde of 28 nozzle to position the front edge 0 the ame a rotary floor-engaging tool carried by the frame, and a belt for transmittlng motion from the motor to the tool.

4. In a vacuum cleaner having a nozzle which has an opening in its under wall, a fan casing, and a motor, a cover which normally covers the opening, the combination of :1. rectangular frame situated below the nozzle, members .on the frame which engage the nozzle to position the front part of the frame, slotted members on the rear portion of the frame, means carried by the vcasing which "hold the members in place, a rotary tool carried by the end members of the frame, and a belt which transmits motion from the motor to the tool and extends through the normallyclosed opening in the under wall of the nozzle.

.5. In a vacuum cleaner having a nozzle member which has an opening in its under wall, and a motor, a cover for normally clos ing the opening, the combination of an open, rectangular frame, lugs which are fastened to the rear member of the frame, bridges connecting the front and 'rear members of the frame, means carried by the bridges which engage one of the nozzle lips to position the front part of the frame, clamping screws which are carried by the nozzle member and engage the lugs for securing the frame in place, a rotary floor tool carried by the frame, and a belt which passes through the opening in the nozzle wall for transmitting motion from the motor to the tool.

6. In a vacuum cleaner having a nozzle with a normally closed opening'in its under wall, a fan casing, uniting means which serve in part to unite the nozzle and casing, and a motor, the combination of a frame which is open-top and bottom, supporting means car- 'ried by the frame, clamping screws for securing the frame to the uniting .means, a. rotary floor-engaging tool carried by the frame which forms the sole support for the weight of the front end of the cleaner, and a means mally covered opening in its front wall through which opening a belt may be mounted on the pulley, a second normally covered opening in the rear wall of the nozzle through which a belt passes, the combination of a frame which is secured to the underside of the cleaner, a floor tool mounted for rotation in the frame a pulley for the tool, and a driving belt which extends downwardly through the said second opening and connects the two pulleys.- 1 I a 1 8. Ina vacuum cleaner having a fan and casing, a nozzle extending downwardly from the casing, a fan, a motor for driving the'fan,

the combination of a detachable frame located under the front end of the cleaner,

means for securing the rear part of the'frame to the fan casing, means for holding the front end of the frame in predetermined position with resbect to the nozzle, a rotating floor-engaging tool. carried by the frame. and a device for\tr'ansmitting power from the motor to the tool.

9. In a vacuum cleaner having a fan and casmg, a motor for drivlng the fan, a nozzle in front of the fan casing which extends downwardly and terminates in a plane below the casing and is spacedtherefrom, the'conibination of a frame in Whicl a floor tool is supported, said frame bridging the space be tween the bottom of the nozzle and the fan casing, means for securin .the frame in said bridging position, a oer-finishing tool mounted in the frame, and means for transmitting power from the motor to the tool for rotating it.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of September 1927.

. HENRY T. LANG. 

